Contemporary Funk 320 Items

Within Melbourne's burgeoning cinematic-soul scene, which includes breakout acts Surprise Chef and Karate Boogaloo, mysteriously sit The Pro-Teens. Helmed by prolific drummer and percussionist Hudson Whitlock, who also plays in both aforementioned bands, this breakaway studio project involves an interchangeable collective of incognito, Melbourne-based, esteemed instrumentalists playing under outlandish pseudonyms such as "'Dead Honest’ Dean Amazing" and "Libby Clique-Baite". Symbolically led by keyboardist "Snooch Dodd", new album ‘I Flip My Life Every Time I Fly’ is the latest musical concoction from Whitlock's eccentric brain, marrying the soul/funk roots of sample culture with the principles of boom-bap hip hop.

Incorporating the colourful comic book stylings of MF Doom and Kool Keith, or the dark and exotic flavours of Gravediggaz and The Wu-Tang Clan, The Pro-Teens also take cues from their composing heroes Galt MacDermot, Richard Evans and Marc Moulin. The Pro-Teens bop, zip, whip and fling on this phantasmagorical journey - an unorthodox patchwork of cinematic soul, hip hop-guided funk breaks, vivid instrumental textures and film score-esque moods.

The Pro-Teens work on the same analogue recording model adopted by the tight-knit College Of Knowledge label, self-recorded and produced with the rag-tag crew of musicians putting tracks down live to tape in crammed attic studios and sharehouse recording spaces. The first limited pressing of 'I Flip My Life Every Time I Fly' was released on the 'College Of Knowledge' imprint in late 2020. It was one of the highlights of the year at Mr Bongo HQ who loved the concept and felt this tripped out masterpiece from Melbourne needed to be heard well beyond those lucky enough to have bagged those limited first copies.

Parisian label Chuwanaga proudly presents Latitude, Saint-James label co-founder new studio project. Keeping it close to the deep jazz-funk ethos of the label, Latitude brings to the light two luminous songs of joy and hope for a better day, highly danceable yet rich and complex grooves with a human feel to feed your soul and make you move. Their new EP Leo / Attitude presents these first effort with a Dub Remix by Mato: plenty of diverse tastes for every music enthusiasts. Available as Vinyl 12" and Digital. Latitude is french. Not a random collection of chansons sung in french. Latitude is so french in its sheer elegance, in its simple yet so sophisticated seemingly effortless attempt to groove in a pop context, trying to create moments of grace in the process. Latitude is here with the right vibe as the chorus of "Attitude" says it in french: "It’s the bad attitude, always the good latitude". Latitude is sprung out of the wicked musicianship of Parisian jazz-funk and fusion mavericks and Saint-James tight and adventurous compositions and production. All that jazz combined with David Cukier (Greita) retro-futurist engineering skills in these intense sessions captured in his cutting edge vintage Delta studio. On A Side, "Leo (Extended Mix)" is an uptempo disco track for the dancers but also a beautiful song for the summer. A seductive number with a pregnant classic French jazz-funk feeling with the help of Parisian singer Club Celest’s energy and beautiful voice. It comes on digital as a short edit for radio but as a serious extended 12inch mix on the vinyl with 8 minutes and 10 seconds of pure pleasure, ending in a real climax after an irresistible percussion break. On B1, "Attitude" enchanting quality shines with a banging rhythm section and goes for the win as an anthem chorus while sweeping synths keep on growing till the very last drop. On B2, Reggae/Dub don Mato(Stix Records) delivers a sweet dub wise riddim for the Lovers Rock massive.

* The latest vinyl offering from Seattle’s hologram funk soul singer SassyBlack
* Special-edition four-song EP containing the missing musical accompaniment to the Black Panther movie
* Pressed on 7” vinyl in multiple colors, limited to 500 individually numbered copies
* Cover design by visual artist Wutang McDougal
* Specially mastered for vinyl by Adam Straney

Wakanda Funk Lounge” by SassyBlack, is a svelte slab of hologram funk delivered directly from the Black Panther nation of Wakanda. This four-song EP contains the chart-topping hits from that nation’s funk lounges, and rising star, SassyBlack.

SassyBlack is a "blaxploitation, sci-fi warrior queen" and is also a multi-talented, space-aged songwriter, beatmaker, composer and singer. Her music has been described as “electronic psychedelic soul,” with roots in experimental hip-hop, R&B, and jazz. Her voice has been compared to that of Ella Fitzgerald, Erykah Badu, and Georgia Anne Muldrow and her beats owe a debt to Herbie Hancock and Quincy Jones. Like Queen Latifah, she sings, raps, is an actor and produces all her own music. Before going solo, she recorded and performed as half of the Afrofuturist hip-hop duo THEESatisfaction. Her music has received attention from Okayplayer, Afropunk, The Fader, Pitchfork, Bitch magazine and more.

Her brand new “Wakanda Funk Lounge” EP has been recently released as a 500-copy special-edition 7” single on Seattle hip-hop record label Crane City Music. The cover was designed by visual artist Wutang McDougal and each copy is pressed on colored vinyl and is individually numbered. The music is also available online on all major streaming services and can be purchased digitally through Bandcamp. It’s funky music that reminds us that Wakanda’s main export is “VIBE-ranium.”

In describing the project, SassyBlack says that “Wakanda Funk Lounge is about black freedom. When I think of “Black Panther,” it is talking about black freedom, so much that we have our own secret space. What would be freer than a Wakanda funk lounge?”

This is not her first sci-fi or superhero-themed project. SassyBlack performed at 2018’s Emerald City Comic Con, and her 2016 full-length album, “No More Weak Dates” contains numerous references to Star Trek. In an interview with Hearst publication Shondaland, she explains her sci-fi fascination: “Star Trek and Star Wars have always had bars and concerts. There’s no culture without music… And so Black Panther’s M’Baku invites me to come and perform in one of Wakanda’s funk lounges. This EP is the music I perform there. And where it gets crazy is that I’m like, ‘Listen, I have to leave Wakanda now because I’m going to go join Starfleet.’ [laughs] It could technically work.

Cynicism is an easy sell. We’re skeptical of harmony because the news sows division, social
media runs on scorn, and tangible reminders of good have become increasingly rare. Yet
there are those whispered moments of unity, those artists who effortlessly embody the
ideals of fusion –those who allow us to reap the rewards that can only yielded from an
embrace of different ideas, cultures, and sounds. This is the genius of Seba Kaapstad.
Seba Kaapstad is a multi-national neo-soul quartet comprised of a South African, a Swazi,
and two Germans. They summon the most powerful manifestation of creativity: music that
represents an idea. Their Mello Music debut album, Thina, takes its name from the Zulu
word for “us.” It is a gorgeous halo of soul, encompassing several continents worth of sound,
and obliterating the notion of genre. It is divined by artists whose lineage is riven with trauma
and suffering. But like their ancestors, they endured. And only in this futuristic present could
they reconcile the perseverance and turmoil of the past, using music to inspire unity and
heal.
They conjure beatific grooves that radiate with alluvial soul, celestial jazz, electronic
experimentation and the polyrhythmic essence of Africa. It is marrow music, what digs
beneath your bones, seeping into your bloodstream and inner visions. You hear flashes of
the greats: Badu, Georgia Anne Muldrow, Jill Scott, and the Things Fall Apart-era Roots. You
might even hear the ethereal float of Frank Ocean or the glowing bliss of Flying Lotus and
Thundercat. But like all stellar quartets, Seba Kaapstad is indivisible and made stronger by
the sum of their parts.
If the sonic roots lie in the tessaracts of eternal memory, Seba Kaapstad’s present-day
genesis trace to 2013, the year that Sebastian Schuster arrived in Cape Town and
immediately fell in the love with its rich cultural tapestry, legendary musical community, and
artful chaos. He soon paired with the rest of the band—Zoe Modiga, Philip Scheibel (Pheel),
Ndumiso Manana—developing the sort of telepathic chemistry can’t be replicated or really
even explained.
You hear this harmonic synthesis all over Thina. Each song is a symphony of its own. Take
“Don’t,” which opens with glistening pianos and a head-bobbing slap, then Zoe Modiga
unleashes her sky-rattling voice, alternating between near-rapping and time-stopping,
levitating multi-octave solos—all the while paraphrasing Shakespeare. And in the last
minute, there’s an exquisite string coda that you’d expect to hear at a world-class
philharmonic.
There’s "Breathe," which OkayAfrica raved was “a refreshing combination of the crew's
different influences…as much of a Friday/Saturday night jam as a Sunday morning one.” It’s a
spiritual hymn in search of water and solace, a loose-limbed rhythm that echoes the themes
of Fela and the jams of classic Electric Ladyland neo-soul. While the title track alternates
between Zulu and English, as Modiga offers inspirational uplift and timeless lyrics about the
natural elements.

Nubian Crackers member The Undercover Brother (AKA veteran Queens, New York-based beat-maker Victor Piagneri) fires up his U.B.'s project and delivers another taster for the forthcoming "Ultimate Covers w/Breaks" LP. On the A-side you'll find his instrumental interpretation of Frederick Knight cut "Uphill Peace Of Mind", a heavy, stripped-back revision rich in killer drum breaks, Red Hot Chili Peppers style funk-rock guitars and life-affirming piano solos. Turn to the flip for Piagneri's vocal-free version of The Honey Drippers' 1973 anti-Nixon anthem "Impeach The President". He allows the track's much-sampled opening drum break a little more room to breathe, before carefully layering up Hammond organ riffs and a snaking saxophone solo that effectively replaces the original vocals.

Just in time for the summer, Moniquea is back with a future glass house staple entitled "All The Time." Riding thick, squiggly production from XL Middleton, modern funk's first lady delivers declarations of dominance that might make you want to stand up, pop and lock, or have a seat and slam dominoes on the table top. His Lady: Moniquea delivers a solid slab of modern g-funk on "His Lady," a future roller skate staple featuring an instrumental culled from the mid 2000's vaults of XL Middleton. The track still sounds fresh nearly a decade and a half later thanks to Moniquea's timeless songwriting and silky delivery.

First Word Records is very proud to present a brand new EP from Yazmin Lacey - 'When The Sun Dips 90 Degrees'.
This EP follows on from her two recent singles, '90 Degrees' and 'Something My Heart Trusts', both of which are included here, along with three previously unreleased tracks, 'Heaven', 'Body Needs Healing' and 'Burn & Rise'. This set illustrates again Yazmin's candid songwriting delivered in her uniquely laidback soulful style, whilst a glorious fusion of neo-soul and jazz performed by Pete Beardsworth and her trusty band rides throughout.
In recent times, Yazmin has made live appearances on Jazz FM, BBC Radio 4, 1Xtra and NTS, & received widespread acclaim across the airwaves, including BBC Radio 2, BBC 6 Music, Worldwide FM and Mi-Soul, plus Spotify love from the likes of The Independent and heavy support from DJs such as Gilles Peterson, Jamz Supernova, Tom Ravenscroft, Huey Morgan and Jamie Cullum. Yazmin appeared heavily in The Guardian / The Observer's recent extensive feature on the UK's new Jazz movement too.
Initially a Brownswood 'Future Bubbler' graduate, Yazmin self-released her debut EP, 'Black Moon', last year. This lead to a Maida Vale session late 2017 with Jordan Rakei, Moses Boyd, Oscar Jerome and now label-mates, Children of Zeus. She kicked off the year with a performance at the Worldwide Awards with Skinny Pelembe, and has recently done shows with artists such as Ezra Collective, Tall Black Guy and Fatima. Yazmin has a UK tour scheduled for later in the year, as well as several festival appearances across Europe locked in. There's a lot more to come from this Notts-based Londoner yet.
In Yazmin's words: "'90 Degrees' is about that time of the day / night when there's a shift in pace and energy. When you decide to lock off from the 'outside' world and create your own atmosphere, take some time to give thanks for what's breathing love into your life and smoke off the fuckeries. Everyone needs a little routine for self preservation."
The 5-track vinyl & digital EP is released worldwide on June 15th.

The debut album from Seattle’s Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio. The group channels old-school organ combos like The Meters and Booker T & The MGs, but are making it fresh and feel new again!

Olivier St.Louis (the artist formerly known as Olivier Daysoul) releases his 2nd EP to start 2017 with some melancholic vibes.

After releasing a collaborative EP with Warp's Bibio, who is also featured as a producer on “Ever since the fall”, this 2nd solo release by the Olivier St.Louis marks the starting point of worldwide liveshow efforts for Olivier 2017. After a successful UK Tour with Laura Mvula, Olivier is getting ready to join AnnenMayKantereit for another Tour in spring 2017 to support his upcoming release “Ever since the fall EP”, out on Jakarta Records in February 2017. Six tracks somewhere in between lo-fi soul, drum computer sounds, warm basslines and funk trenched live compositions. Olivier will also join his partner in crime Oddisee for his “The Iceberg” Wolrd Tour until summer.

Olivier St.Louis went on to receive significant international attention for his work as a featured singer/songwriter back then still under the name Olivier Daysoul. He worked and toured worldwide with various artists including Oddisee, C2C, Onra, Bibio and Hudson Mohawke as such as other producers from the Warp Records family. Despite all of this, Olivier felt something was missing...A true reflection of his own voice and sound. Less bass music, more organic soul, less producer features and more independent unique compositions all by himself.

Here it is, the all new Guts album with guest appearances by Tanya Morgan, Leroy Thomas, Lorine Chia and more. Essential pick!

Produced by Patchworks!

Five piece uptempo deep funk band from Cornwall ready to launch their recording career with this debut full-length, for which they recruited the
powerful voice of Dojo Cuts singer Roxie Ray. The Underbelly as one of the
most exciting funk bands to emerge today: already counting on the support of DJs such as Nik Weston, Andy Smith and Craig Charles, who called them “the
find of the year”.

Amazing instrumentals in best El Michel's tradition with a touch of Roots Music, straight from Canada - we love it.

The unbreathable air saturated with moisture, the soggy soil that swallows every step like a starving death, the hostile nature and, finally, the remote swamp. The one they invested in composing Fire Eater. The one they left a few traces in. Tracks that can talk. Six men heavily armed with instruments, a seventh fastest, only weighted by a microphone. They left the inhospitable vegetation, leaving behind a succession of footprints. As we try to follow them, the afrobeat that made it easy to spot them now dissipates into a floating mist. So, we have to connect the radars and try to capture the vintage waves of equipment that emit more than one point but several. Be attentive to jazz solos and funk scarifications, as much as to what could chant and tap on the times of these tight rhythms. Because their blending has become a personal style as much as hybrid, and it is to avoid being watched by asphyxiation that they left the stagnant waters. Escaped from the car sound systems or plastered on the walls announcing their many concerts, it is in the city that they are now detected. Infiltrating them is a daunting task. A track where you have to avoid the vigilance of the electric and venomous keyboards, escape the copper flames and the guitar shears. Enter the choking groove to finally enjoy a purely instrumental passage, sneak in and dance. Progress outside the Afro mangrove, Running The Way nevertheless retains many cables still connected. The bottom of the jeans still ‘Roforofo’. ‘Muddy’ in Yoruba. Just 2 years after the first EP Fire Eater released in 2021, Radio Nova’s crush (title Helelyos enthroned 3 months in playlist), the Roforofo Jazz returns with the LP Running The Way, 8 tracks even more ambitious, with careful production, marking a clear progression in its quest for an increasingly more personal sound and writing. Putting the listener immediately in the tone of his atypical afro jazz rap fury, Love In Time and its sharp rhythmic appeal to the power of the music, in an ultra-energetic piece yet smelling with jazz via well-felt keyboard surges. Side To Side is a rearrangement of a piece by Togolese artist Bella Bello and Manu Dibango, yet glancing towards Motown and resonating like a anthem to life and directions to take to counter the negativity of our modern societies. Then on Stand Up in a more deepfunk US style like Breakestra or The Greyboy Allstars, MC Days (aka RacecaR) switches between fast flows and downtempo in an injunction to all fight for what we believe in. An epic piece concluded with a nod to Master Hendrix… Gas punctuates the A side with a light but saving rhythmic lull, coming closer to a nu-soul atmosphere and punctuated with an explosive refrain in which rap, rock and jazz clash, tending to prove as Days chants that by being more realistic our differences can only fade…Title Shawarma has nothing to do with a Kebab sandwich, although…! Life unfolds like a menu, in which everything is not always to our liking but which teaches us to accept judicious and juicy mixes, and combinations. The result is a joint with an oriental touch, almost ethio, a rhythm that perfectly matches the hip-hop flow and the Roforofo Jazz style.The Big Hustle is a UFO. Articulated around a 20 bars loop that gives it a communicative energy, punctuated by a bass line reminiscent of Fela Kuti’s Colonial Mentality, this title sounds like a highway for frantic breakbeat dancers; epic! From Here To Benin brings us back to the group’s Afro-inspired origins, while injecting a slight dose of well-felt pop music. A piece that encourages travel to learn to share, universally. And finally, Mode For DD, a cover of the instrumental title of the obscure jazz funk of The Awakening, with added voice of Days telling the meaning of life and its mysteries, our beliefs and certainties, as human beings as well as artists.

Without a pandemic, you’d now be listening to an album wholly recorded in Cuba with local musicians. Back in 2020, everything was organised, so that in May 2021 we could get started. Yet, the sanitary measures proved to be a fierce adversary, so rather than giving up entirely we decamped to Dakar in October the same year – a compromise that ended up being a positive event in itself.
Cuba has a long African history. Under mass enslavement and the Transatlantic trade, Africans were forced from their homelands, against their will, taking their music along with them. Merging throughout the centuries, taking on European influences, led to the birth of a distinctive Afro-Cuban musical tradition. Highly percussive, brass-based, simmering, full of danceable rhythms. The spirit etched into thousands of recordings, forever turning towards Africa. The departure point here is not to keep things the same. Rather, a return to the source enacts a loop – much the same as those providing the foundations for hip-hop beats.
The flame when it’s re-lit illuminates everything. Thanks to the Senegalese musicians in Dakar, the Cubans who crossed the Atlantic to join us and my usual family of musicians, this music – a cross-section of covers and original compositions - exists as a homage to Afro-Cuban music. Made in Africa, in Senegal. Three worlds, three languages, three colours. Recorded over 17 days, non-stop, germinating the seed born in Cuba at the end of 2020 so that the most beautiful fruits might be cultivated in Dakar, 2022.
When the world doesn’t seem big enough, we look up to the sky where even the blackness is lit up, where those I loved who are now gone shine as stars, shining as brightly as all the others. Each time I think I’m not going to make it; I recall the star of my mother. Then the path becomes clear.
Pandemic, visa problems, cultural clashes, bank transfers that didn’t go through, a fractured foot – this project sometimes felt like a series of accumulated challenges. The only thing linking us, a shared love for the music, each of us invoking our personal star and all that we have overcome.
In this way, the music is born as a call to our stars.

As the name suggests, Sai Galaxy represents a star-studded cluster of artists from around the world – their varied styles colliding to form a refreshing fusion of classic Afrobeat, disco and West African funk. Drawing from the influence of 70s and 80s Nigerian artists such as Nkono Teles, Jake Sollo and Mike Umoh, the Sai Galaxy collective is on a mission to reproduce the analogue warmth and groove from those decades. Consequently, they lean heavily on 70s production techniques - free from the predictable rigidity of digital sequencing. Spearheaded by Australian multi-instrumentalist Simon Durrington (from Digital Afrika), the members include Olugbade Okunade - former trumpet player from Seun Kuti’s Egypt 80 - as well as guests Gabriel Otu, Ray Lédon and Vanessa Baker. While the EP seeks to reflect 70s production, glimpses of contemporary elements can be found in the arrangements and harmonies, at times reminiscent of modern artists such as Lord Echo, Bosq and Voilaaa. As Durrington believes: “dance is vital to health and community”. And with an EP that urges you to dance from start to finish, consider Sai Galaxy a cosmic tonic for the modern lifestyle.

To kick off his new label and musical output - Aweh Music, Esa shares with us two exclusive tracks from his most recent soundtrack LP for The Invisible Hand podcast. This limited 7" features a modern street soul track and a collaboration with the legacy duo from the early 1990s, Doval and Robert Roper of Special Touch, which you might be familiar with from their cult classic the Garden of Life LP. On the flip side, Esa collaborates with his sister Tasneem based in Cape Town, for the very first time. They present a musical journey that takes influence from Soul with Balearic tones and Afro-Beat, all brought together nicely by the talented Franck Biyong on organ, guitar, and paying homage to Fela with his introductory vocals & lyrics. Esa recorded these tracks during the pandemic, with many of the studio sessions done remotely. It also features some rising talents based in London - Ayo Salawu on Drums, Raquel Martins on Guitar, Amane Suganami on Synths and Manu Idra on percussion. All tracks were written, produced and arranged by Esa.

King Pari is an almost accidental project. Cameron Kinghorn and DJ Stepmom didn’t even set out to start a band. When Joe (DJ Stepmom) texted Cameron some jams whipped up on his tape machine, Cameron hit him back with “what is this? I want in”. Ten minutes before they first linked up, Joe built the loop for their first single, ‘Sunshine,’ which they then wrote on the spot in a flurry on collective inspiration. The rest of their forthcoming ‘mary EP’ grew from recording sessions in Joe’s Northeast Minneapolis bedroom, a guest house in New Orleans and a cabin in rural Wisconsin. Minneapolis left an obvious mark — the influence of Prince and the Minneapolis Sound, approached from a fresh psychedelic angle. It’s been called stonersoul, lo-fi R&B, dub meets 80’s electro with a heavy dose of funk. Grab it now through Earcave via PPU.. And stay tuned for their second Single "Come Inside" on PPU early 2021.

Bonding over a shared love of Chic, Parliament andthe other signs in the greater funk Zodiac, MayerHawthorne (Aquarius) and Jake One (Taurus),collectively known as Tuxedo, return with their thirdstudio album, Tuxedo III released on theTuxedo-owned and newly launched label, Funk onSight. Their powers combined have yet again yieldeda bevy of absolute slappers that are packagedperfectly for dance floors in 2019. The album includesfeatures from MF DOOM, DāM-FunK, Leven Kali,Benny Sings, Gavin Turek and others. Tuxedo is backto remind you that the dance floor will always bethere to welcome you, whoever you are.

Austin’s Brownout unleashed the “Brown Sabbath Vol. I” project garnering acclaim from outlets such as NPR (50 Best Albums of 2014), Pitchfork, hardcore Black Sabbath fans and most important of all Ozzy Osbourne himself, while staying true to their Latin Funk roots. Brown Sabbath Vol. II cranks up the level, rocking harder than the original with a brew of ballistic horns, pummeling guitar-riffs underscored by a funky, driving rhyhm section. Ghostland Observatory‘s Aaron Behrens makes a guest appearance sharing vocal duties with Brown Sabbath lead vocalist Alex Marrero.
Hitting harder than its predecessor and keeping closely in line with the original Sabbath material, “Brown Sabbath Vol. II” crosses over more to hard rock territory. Brownout’s powerful, signature full horn section, dual-guitar attack, funked-up drums and latin percussion return with a vengeance, adding even more weight and texture to create a dark hybrid sound that resonates with groove-laden intensity unique to their interpretation of Black Sabbath’s tome.
An 8-piece outfit formed ten years ago by members of Grammy Award-winning Latin revival orchestra Grupo Fantasma, Brownout has evolved into a musical force all its own. With a succesful tour of “Brown Sabbath” under their belt including Bonnaroo and Austin Psych Fest while earning their third Austin Music Award, the band has continued to produce music that is unflinchingly progressive, while evoking the classic influences of artists such as WAR, Cymande and Funkadelic. Brownout now has four albums under their belt including “Brown Sabbath Vol. I” (Ubiquity 2014), “Homenaje” (Freestyle Records 2008), “Aguilas & Cobras” (Six Degrees 2009) and “Oozy” (Nat Geo 2012).

I spent a while thinking about the title for this album; it was quite hard to pin down the feeling I felt it represented. At a certain point I realised it was nostalgia, for everything; our life passed by, childhood, moments of happiness and sadness, where we grew up”. - Skinshape Will Dorey aka Skinshape has proven himself time and again as a connoisseur for the cosmopolitan, across a prolific career expertly exploring understated sounds and theatrical textures. Taking his place alongside the likes of Khruangbin, Tame Impala, Bonobo and Madlib, Skinshape’s global kaleidoscopes are loaded with warmth and wisdom created on vintage analogue equipment applying a perfectionist’s touch. As a former member of indie band Palace, he has played everywhere from Glastonbury and BBC Maida Vale to headlining Shepherd’s Bush Empire. Conversely, as a solo artist Skinshape has never played live preferring to record, releasing an album a year (two in 2020’s lockdown) and keeping away from the trappings of stardom.

The Leonhart Brass Band was conceived during the 2020 Covid-19 quarantine when trumpeter/composer Michael Leonhart was unable to perform with his 18-piece orchestra at NYC's famous Jazz Standard. Instead, Leonhart began composing music for a raw small brass band featuring members of Antibalas, the Dap-Kings and Red Baraat, whom were all capable of playing outdoors without amplification. Building on the foundation of the classic brass bands—Dirty Dozen Brass and Rebirth Brass Band—Leonhart has infused elements of hip-hop and funk to create his own sound.

On side A, "Snake Oil” is driven by a cymbal bell heavy drum groove and bass line with a horn melody that harkens back to the serpentine lines of both Cannonball Adderley's 1973 LP, Inside Straight, and saxophonist Eddie Harris' classic "Freedom Jazz Dance.” Leonhart takes the first solo on trumpet followed by Cochemea Gastelum on baritone saxophone.

On the flip, “Shammgod” is a tribute to perhaps the greatest ball handler to ever play basketball, God Shammgod (a/k/a Shammgod Wells). Although his professional career was short lived—as he had played only for the Dallas Mavericks’1997-1998 season and later for the Chinese Basketball Association (Zhejiang Cyclones)—his name rings on for the creation of his legendary crossover move, “The Shammgod.” Leonhart draws frequent creative inspiration from basketball; the tight staccato strut of the horn melody has the tempo and swagger of a pickup street ball game, a sound that’s further accentuated with Stuart Bogie on the baritone saxophone.

Adesha and Vincent Kwok present their latest release, featuring a pair of songs taking inspiration from the glittering dance floors of the disco era to Minneapolis inspired funk. "Hot Mess" kicks off the proceedings and is a full on disco workout combining the vocals of Adesha with a pumping 4-on-the-floor beat that is bound to move you. "Girl Fan" takes a different approach with a rhythm that is reminiscent of the Minneapolis sound of the early 80s. Featuring a sizzling sax solo, "Girl Fan" describes the various stages of fandom, with some punchy beats accentuating the song. This is the third release of the duo under The Sleepers RecordZ label, the last two vinyl releases, released in 2020 and 2021 respectively, both were sold out within 5 days. Also this one will be out on a special magenta colored 7” Vinyl.

Monophonics cordially invite you to attend the grand re-opening of the once thriving, once vibrant establishment, the legendary Sage Motel. A place where folks experience the highs and lows of human existence. A place where big dreams and broken hearts live, where people arrive at without ever knowing how they got there. It's where folks find themselves at a crossroads in life. So join us as we examine where the stories are told and experiences unfold.....and sink into a soft pillow of soulful psychedelia.....down at the Sage Motel.

Over the course of the last five years, the Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio have established themselves as the world's premier funky organ trio. The organ trio, along with founder and manager Amy Novo, continues to devise the perfect blend of raw, passionate music and engaging industry practices. Through a firm partnership with label Colemine Records, the trio has garnered Billboard charting albums, sold out shows, tens of thousands of albums sold, and millions of streams. Lofty accomplishments for an instrumental organ trio. Now, with permanent drummer Dan Weiss behind to kit, Dlo3 is proud to present Cold As Weiss, their third studio album to date that finds them tighter than ever, and continuing to push funky instrumental music to a new generation of fans. For Fans of New Mastersounds, Soulive, Jimmy Smith, Khruangbin.

Mmyykk’s Science EP arrives at a time when the world needs it. The eponymous title track is about recognising the power and connection that we all have to the cosmos - and it feels like no coincidence that this body of work arrives in 2021.

The EP balances universal themes with playfulness; asks hard questions relating to accountability and materiality whilst remaining musically cohesive and funky throughout. An exceedingly difficult artist to pigeonhole, Mmyykk (pronounced Mike) works concurrently within the realms of soul, jazz, hip hop, R&B and ambient; his sound equally indebted to his fellow west-coast natives Thundercat and Flying Lotus as it is to synth experimentalists Herbie Hancock and Stevie Wonder.

Whilst Mmyykk operates as the multi-instrumentalist, vocalist, producer & engineer across all 6 tracks, we can still hear the richness of improvisation musical collaboration involved in the making of this record, with numerous cameos from artists in Mmyykk’s adopted hometown of Minneapolis as well as a feature from London’s very own Demae.

The city of Minneapolis, whilst not addressed directly in the lyrics, provided a backdrop like no other whilst this album was coming together. Being at the epicentre of such a tragedy had a profound effect on the formation of the EP... “The City was literally burning...” Mmyykk recalls as he goes on to explain that tackling themes such as police reform, reparations and accountability in his work is his way of taking a stand in the fight for justice.

Despite the grief prevalent in the city, the EP exudes a complex “dopeness”, executed so effortlessly it belies the skill involved in the process - it’s precisely this nonchalant cool that defines what Science means to the artist.

Whilst we can dissect the inspirations and trace the lineage of this body of work- the result is singular. It’s clear that Mychal Fisher, aka Mmyykk is operating on his own terms, in a lane of his own - and making it look easy.

In 2020 Brooklyn's Holy Hive introduced us all to something we didn't know we needed. Homer Steinweiss' thickly pocketed drumming paired with Paul Spring's floaty falsetto vocal produces a sound that's like a salve. It's been dubbed Folk Soul and Holy Hive not only expertly overlay the more apparent musical aspects of folk and soul-but they also draw from the more profound: being able to pull traditions from the past and make them their own. When Homer wasn't playing drums for Lady Gaga or Adele or Bruno Mars, he'd produce Paul's solo folk records. Along with original bassist and frequent collaborator Joe Harrison, these sessions proved to be Holy Hive's foundation. And their fi rst record, Float Back to You, expertly combined what each musician does best: Paul's heady, reflective approach to folk with Homer's universal classic soul sound. With their new record released on Big Crown, Holy Hive's beautifully simple-and-sparse Folk Soul sound is back-but updated. With new influences and the challenge of creating and capturing music during a global pandemic, this new self-titled album, is more personal, more reflective. They describe three distinct phases when piecing together Holy Hive: this first stage was pre-pandemic in California while traveling as a group, then-like the rest of us-they were separated, creating together but apart, and lastly an explosion of output once they reunited in New York. There is a natural but subtle evolution for Holy Hive on this record. Homer and Paul drew from new and maybe more obscure-yet-honest influences. It's still very much Folk Soul-how could it not be. But, like all artists, they've taken in what they've made and how they've made it, only to push it into new places. We know of Holy Hive's ability to lyrically convey the abstract and complex in poetic and palatable ways. But where the first record was soulfully silver-tongued with chill songs about love and affection, Holy Hive widens the lens with these novel influences, reflecting the points both Homer and Paul are in their own lives. Featuring musical contributions from Mary Lattimore, Robin Pecknold (Fleet Foxes), Anant Pradhan, Nick Movshon, Leon Michels (El Michels Affair), Shannon Wise (The Shacks), Dave Guy (The Roots), and Elliot Skinner.

Time to bust out those shades as we have two brand new blasts of sonic sunshine from Bristol beatmakers, The Allergies. 'Move On Baby' finds the duo on career-best form. With their sampling savvy hitting new heights, as vintage rhythm 'n' blues vocals ride highly re-energised Latin loops, and some seriously funky drums. Totally their signature sound – Tough beats, catchy hooks and horns, and feel-good dancefloor vibes – But turned up to 11. It's got "Sound of the Summer" written all over it, weather permitting. Also shining bright is B-side banger, 'Are You Ready'. This stomping soul sensation features LA rap legend, Andy Cooper [Ugly Duckling] and the powerful pipes of Miss Marietta Smith. The peak-time powder keg is set to detonate on this one. And the call-to-arms manifesto gives you the full Allergies' band stage show experience in one beefed up jukebox single.

Fresh off of their 2020 offering Adult Themes, El Michels Affair is back with a new full-length release. Titled Yeti Season, this newest album has everything we've come to expect from EMA's patented cinematic style of instrumental soul music. Where Adult Themes inspired a soundtrack to an imaginary film, Yeti Season brings us to a different place in time_with new inspirations. Taken with Turkish-styled funk and an almost Mumbai-esque take on soul, El Michels Affair offers us a different kind of drama and imagination with Yeti Season. If you've been following along, this shouldn't be viewed as too far a departure for El Michels Affair. The first single off of Yeti Season showed their hand back in 2018. A double-sided banger, that release brought the musical textures to the fore that dominate this record. The first song, titled "Unathi," is fully realized with the beautifully haunting-yet-hopeful vocals of Piya Malik, formally of 79.5_another Big Crown artist. Singing in Hindi, Piya's ethereal voice is telling us to work and strive together toward progress. Even if you don't understand her language, you can still hear the urgency of purpose, creating a lasting vibe that sits on top of it all. Leon Michels explains that Piya had a vital influence on this record: "When Piya started singing in Hindi, she had a different voice, a different tone. I knew we had to do something together." And so Piya appears on three other songs on Yeti Season: "Zaharila," "Murkit Gem," and "Dhuaan." Each providing particular signatures to the album. "Zaharila" is a building and changing love song punctuated by blaring trumpets, driving drums, and Piya's pleading lyrics. While the more upbeat "Murkit Gem" opens with a fuzzed out, Wu-Tang-esque baseline that buoys Piya's stylings. The psychedelic guitar and Piya's changing tones and textures singing about an all-consuming love are what pushed "Dhuaan" on to the second single from Yeti Season. There is also a vocal appearance from Shannon Wise of The Shacks, yet another Big Crown artist. Her song called "Sha Na Na," lies more in the familiar EMA vein: melodic, hypnotic, soulfully visual. But between Shannon's airy singing, the jumpy baseline, moody vibes, the active drum lines, it sounds like a pensive walk home after a strangely dramatic night. So what is Yeti Season? It could be more of a feeling than an actual place or time of year. It's a heavy album_as evidenced by the signature musicianship and dramatic vocal expressions. But it's also a hopeful record, with phrasings, textures, and chord changes that hint at something better_or fuller_coming our way. You hear it in songs like "Ala Vida," with its stabby, pulsing chords laying a bedrock for EMA's bright, atmospheric horn lines. Or even in "Fazed Out," which leaves you with a feeling of determination, a striving for resolution even though the driving, march-like song structure should accompany some conquering army. This persistence has to come from the fact that Leon Michels and company finished this record during the lockdown. It was a tough and troublesome time. But look at what has come of it: Yeti Season_a record of high and heavy drama, but also one of hope and promise. It may take a year like 2020 behind us to find hope in a winter big footed creature like a Yeti, but that's where we are.

Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio-or as it is sometimes referred to, DLO3-specialize in the lost art of "feel good music." The ingredients of this intoxicating cocktail include a big helping of the 1960s organ jazz stylings of Jimmy Smith and Baby Face Willette; a pinch of the snappy soul strut of Booker T. & The M.G.'s and The Meters; and sprinkles Motown, Stax Records, blues, and cosmic Jimi Hendrix-style guitar. It's a soul-jazz concoction that goes straight to your heart and head makes your body break out in a sweat. The band features organist Delvon Lamarr, a self-taught virtuosic musician, with perfect pitch who taught himself jazz and has effortlessly been able to play a multitude of instruments. On guitar is the dynamo Jimmy James who eases through Steve Cropper-style chanking guitar, volcanic acid-rock freak-out lead playing, and slinky Grant Green style jazz. From Reno, Nevada is drummer Dan Weiss (also of the powerhouse soul and funk collective The Sextones). Dan's smoldering pocket-groove drumming locks in the trio's explosive chemistry. Founded by Larmarr's wife and manager Amy Novo, the trio started from humble beginnings in 2015, but since then has released two Billboard charting albums and toured the world to sold out venues. The trio returns now with their second studio album, I Told You So, with even heavier grooves and more confidence. It may have been several years since their most recent studio effort, but they haven't missed a beat.

DāM-FunK returns with a seven song listening experience titled: STFU II. The follow up to 2015’s STFU. This 2019 Glydezone Recordings released project kicks off with the heavy knock and breezy synths of ‘The Flow’, while ‘Hood Biz’ is a more ominous, street-funk anchored groove. The ‘Inhale, Exhale (Interlude)’ is the equilibrium that opens up the second half of the EP, highlighting DāM’s melodic laid-back funk, as expressed through tracks like ‘Ladera Heights’ and his lead single, ‘On Code’. The soulful side of Techno is even touched on in the track “Deeper”. In discussing his inspirations for the EP, DāM explains “In this time of colossal distractions, easy trouble online, heavy trolling and cancel culture, this project provides an alternative to instead..just lay back, take a deep breath, stay outta trouble and simply ‘glyde’ for a while. Nothing illegal about that, right?”.

STFU II
- Completely Produced, Played and Recorded by DāM-FunK

- Artwork and layout created by Freddy Anzures (long time art director of Wax Poetics magazine)

- Special Limited Edition CD Version (Eco-Friendly Digipak)

- First Ever Glydezone Recordings CD release

- DāM-FunK has collaborated with, produced or co-produced original songs for the likes of Tyler The Creator, Snoop Dogg, Ariel Pink, Mac Miller, Steve Arrington, Todd Rundgren, Nite Jewel and many more, while staying on the road consistently..giving his all musically (& then some..) to the people of the world.

Jorun Bombay presents The Agricolites, Canada’s finest funk band!

Deep in the North End of Halifax, and under the careful direction of Jorun Bombay, the Agricolites gather in a small cafe and lay down sweet instrumentals that are a DJ’s best friend.

Al Sunny is a young composer emerging from the French soul music scene. Soon after learning the guitar, he started composing and became involved in numerous projects and collaborations. Al has been influenced by pop, rock, and electronic music, always with a foundation in the “Black” and “Soul” sound.
During his conservatory studies, he refined his knowledge and confirmed his desire to write and compose. The will to establish himself on a solo project became stronger and stronger. He quickly discovered deep inside himself the music that he truly loves, inspired by artists such as Tim Maia, America, Al Green, and Al Jarreau. Thru his guitar, he gives birth to the majority of his compositions and always seeks to bring the melody of his songs to the forefront. During his studies he met musicians including Florian Pellissier, then professor at the conservatory and a confirmed pianist who worked on various projects such as Guts, Anthony Joseph, Florian Pellissier Quintet, and Shola Adissa.
It's then thanks to Florian that Al Sunny meets Pascal Rioux, founder and A&R of Favorite Recordings. Immediately seduced and impressed by his talent and the various demos that he listened to, Pascal invites the young musician to collaborate and produce an album within Favorite Recordings. Together they agree on a musical direction looking towards the West coast movement of the 70s and 80s. This direction includes influences like Steely Dan, The Doobie Brothers, and Ned Doheny, of whom Al Sunny covers the classic “Get It Up For Love” on the new album.
With Time To Decide, Al Sunny shows us the premise of his music style, infused with Blue-Eyed-Soul, Pop and Folk. Written and composed by himself, it’s in close collaboration with Florian Pellissier that his songs came to life. Under the guidance of Pascal Rioux and Favorite Recordings, the production of this album ensures a sound and a final result worthy of the best classics of the genre.